


Homecoming

by CeiphiedKnight



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 20:40:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12638751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeiphiedKnight/pseuds/CeiphiedKnight
Summary: A fix-it fic for The Outsider on the Enchanted Forest side of things!





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> I apparently wrote this on 1/15/13, which I assume must be right after The Outsider aired! The Rumbelle fandom was so upset, but little did we know we would be tortured for 4 more years!

"I'm coming back, Rumple."

Belle turned her back on the small village and sent a silent plea for Phillip to get Mulan to safety. Belle considered herself a fairly good judge of character, so she hoped they would be fast friends.

"Isn't that sweet."

Belle froze at the voice. She knew that voice, because it had made several appearances in her nightmares since leaving the Dark Castle. It was always there, taunting her.

_"True Love's Kiss can break any curse…"_

She looked up and saw the Queen. The evil woman wore blood red and looked down from upon her steed.

"How did you find me?" Belle asked, her mind reeling as she tried to come up with an escape plan. But by the looks of things, she was hopelessly outnumbered. Plus the Queen had magic.

But before the Queen could answer, Belle's thundering heart skipped a beat when she heard a male voice say, "Is everything all right, Belle?"

Phillip came into view, with Mulan close behind.

"We heard you talking to someone and thought we should investigate," Mulan said, answering Belle's questioning look.

But they were both injured. Belle knew they were in no condition to fight, and Phillip had just gotten out of an ordeal with an evil sorceress.

"Yes, everything is fine," Belle told her new friends. "I was just speaking to the Queen. We met once before and she gave me some very helpful advice. Isn't that right, Your Majesty?"

The Queen sneered down at Belle, but her voice was silky smooth as she responded, "Yes, and it's too bad about what happened. Kicked out like a piece of trash."

Belle's eyes narrowed at that. Phillip and Mulan glanced at each other, nervously. Mulan's hand lingered over the hilt of her sword.

"Something tells me, though," Belle continued, ignoring the Queen's barb, "That the person on whom I bestowed your advice would be ever so pleased to speak with you about it."

At that, the Queen's practiced arrogance faltered. It was only for a brief moment, but it was enough. Belle smiled.

"RUMPLESTILTSKIN!" she yelled, though she knew she could have simply whispered his name, and he would have come. But if there was one thing she'd learned from him, it was that showmanship could be quite important.

Phillip and Mulan jumped back, and the men with the Queen all gasped.

"We have to get out of here!" yelled the man that Belle remembered was named Claude. "The crazy bitch is going to bring the Dark One upon us!"

The Queen, however, remained still as the dead.

"Well, well, if it isn't my old apprentice!"

Everyone turned toward the voice, high-pitched and strangely accented. 

Rumplestiltskin jumped down from a large rock that was at the edge of the road, and sashayed over to the Queen.

"Regina, Regina, Regina," he sing-songed, "What business could you possibly have with Belle?"

Spinning on his heel, the Dark One pretended to notice the prison cart for the first time and gave a dramatic gasp.

"A cage?! Whomever, or whatever, were you trying to capture, dearie?"

He stalked over to Regina, so that only she could see his expression. However he looked, it must have been quite a sight, because Regina gave a haughty turn of her head and then turned her steed as if to leave.

"It has no real use, Rumple," she said, "Just a precaution in case some fool tries to attack me while I'm out for a ride."

"Oh, yes, of course!" Rumplestiltskin twittered. "Because you couldn't possibly turn them into a snail and step on them."

Regina said nothing more, but began to trot away. Her men followed, though they kept casting nervous glances over their shoulders at the Dark One.

Once they were well out of sight and earshot, Rumplestiltskin made his way over to Belle.

Nervously, he clasped one of her gloved hands and asked, "Are you alright? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

He looked stricken, as if he was afraid she would pull her hand away. Instead, she took both of his hands in hers and said, "I'm fine. Thank you for coming. I thought you might want to see what she was up to…after what happened last time."

Phillip and Mulan watched with morbid curiosity as the Dark One cleared his throat and looked up through his lashes at Belle. 

"Yes, about that. I may have been a bit…hasty. You have to understand, it wasn't just my own cowardice…It really isn't safe for me to love someone."

Belle couldn't help the huge smile that spread across her face. "Silly man," she said, "I've just been on a great, dangerous adventure! And I'm none the worse for wear. You should know by now that I choose my own fate. Dangers and all."

Rumplestiltskin gazed at her for a long while. Phillip started to creep closer, concern etched on his face, but Mulan put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Belle was obviously not in distress.

Finally, once she realized that her True Love was at a loss, Belle broke the silence by saying, "Take me home, Rumplestiltskin."

The Dark One said nothing, he only smiled as they were both enveloped in a cloud of dark purple smoke.

A full minute passed in silence as Phillip and Mulan continued to stare at the empty spot where their friend had disappeared with the infamous Dark One.

"Should we…try to save her?" Phillip finally asked, sounding quite unsure.

Mulan gave him a small smile and said, "No. She's exactly where she wants to be."


End file.
